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Fantasia's POV
The first day of filming was full of new- and at times very trying- experiences for me. I did "The Color Purple" on Broadway, but a stage and a movie studio are two starkly different environments. I didn't know a lot of the terms the crew was using, but I ended up catching on to some of it with help from my cast mates and Blitz. I found it so odd that we shot the very last scene of the movie first. I do have to say that it was fun seeing so many beautiful, talented black people holding hands and singing together. It will most likely go down as my second favorite scene. You don't have to guess what the first one is. Taraji looked gorgeous in her costume. Being able to watch her transform into Shug Avery right before my eyes was rewarding to say the least. She didn't even have any lines in the scene we worked on today, but she still somehow stole the show in my eyes. If I were the camera crew, I would have been fired for putting the camera only on Taraji and no one else. I would sit down with popcorn to watch a two hour-long movie of nothing but Taraji's face. I was surprised by how easy it was for her to act normal around me on set. She carried herself with so much poise and coolness, I was both turned on to the highest degree and agitated as hell. It's like last night never even happened. I didn't expect her to tongue kiss me in front of everybody or something like that, but she barely looked in my direction except for when it was time for another take. I can't lie, it was kinda sexy. I think everything she does is so sexy. She's invaded my brain like a neurosurgeon and made a home for herself in my head. I have to have her again tonight. And the next night, and the next night, and the next night...
To celebrate a successful first day, the whole cast, including Lady O, went out for drinks and a night of dancing at this lowkey, intimate lounge about 15 minutes from our filming location. When Kendall found out where I was going and asked if he could tag along, I knew that the night would be long. Luckily, he was giving me some space while he talked to Corey and Colman. I stood around a small circular table in the corner with Danielle, Halle, Ciara, H.E.R., and Phylicia, drinking and enjoying the music. Taraji was over by the bathrooms, talking to Oprah about something. As I watched closer, it appeared that their conversation was getting pretty heated. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to read their lips and body language from all the way across the room. I have all the respect and admiration in the world for Oprah, but if she upsets Taraji, I'm going to have to check her. The only person that gets to piss my baby off is me.
Danielle: Hey, look at Raj and Miss O. It looks like they're arguing.
Halle: Oh shit, world star.
Gabriella: What could they be arguing about?
Danielle: Taraji told me she was going to talk to her about our working conditions. It doesn't make sense that a studio as big and rich as Warner Brothers didn't even have catering for us, let alone our own dressing rooms. She's giving us a voice, handling business as she should.
